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Gentle, Meek “God blesses those who are
gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will
belong to them.” (NLT) In today’s work environment, where many signs of kindness and humility are construed as weakness, a statement that urges one to be gentle and meek becomes a serious concern. Yet Jesus instructs His followers to be just that: gentle, lowly, meek. It is no wonder that they could not understand Him! After all, if His followers believed they were to usher in the Kingdom of God and overthrow the Roman Empire, then how could their king and leader instruct them to be meek and lowly? The Bible tells us that many of them left Him because it did not make any sense to them. It often does not make sense to us today. It certainly does not make sense if we buy into a pleasure-driven world where the most important element becomes “me.” It does not make sense if we view humans as a product or commodity, and not as a unique gift from God. It does not make sense if we believe that serving others is to be avoided at all cost. If these things do not make any sense in our world, then how do we make sense of this verse and enjoy its blessing? Jesus was not the Davidic Messiah that was going to overthrow the Roman Empire by force, as the Jewish nation expected and wanted. For Jesus, the true Kingdom of God was going to be exemplified through love. What greater expression of love is there than when we lay down our life for a friend? True fulfillment does not exist when we take others for granted and place ourselves above all; true fulfillment is when we place others above our self, even to the point of dying for others. When others become more important than us, we can begin to experience a life that is no longer self-centered and empty, but purposeful and significant. When life has purpose all obstacles are surmountable; when life is meaningless all becomes insurmountable. For people of faith, meekness is based on humility, which is not a natural quality but an outgrowth of a renewed nature. When God is the center of our lives, our love for others is manifested as an outgrowth of a spiritual relation to God. Lord, allow me to be meek and lowly and find real meaning in serving others. Meditation: What does being meek and lowly mean to you? Can you accept Jesus’ teaching on this subject? Jorge L. Valdes, Ph.D.
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